Love To Spare
by Fuzzy Ears Fan
Summary: AU Arthur never thought he'd be a father, but Emily changes that.  When he brought her home he didn't think he could ever need anything else.  Then he meets Merlin, a wizard on the piano.  Maybe he needed something else after all. SLASH FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm really excited about this! I just love the thought of Arthur being a father, so I couldn't help but make him one. Merlin will come in later, I promise. This first chapter is kind of a prelude, but this will be a slash story later on. I think the only thing I need to mention is that Uther is now Ulysses. Feel free to tell me what you think about this. I always love hearing from readers.

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is Emily.

/

Arthur hung his head and tried to remember how to breathe. It was proving difficult.

"I'm not telling you because I want anything from you. I just thought you should know that you fathered a child."

He looked up at the petite blonde woman standing in the middle of his dorm room. It was true he'd slept with her almost two months ago, but he hardly remembered it. His friends had dragged him to a party and he'd gotten spectacularly drunk. The last thing he remembered was looking at this woman, Vivian was her name, and thinking that she had a very pretty smile. The next thing he knew he was waking up naked next to her. He had then freaked the fuck out because he didn't sleep with women. He was _gay_. She had taken everything well at the time and left him with a kiss to his cheek and a promise that everything would be fine. Apparently, it wasn't.

"But, I thought we'd taken precautions."

Vivian looked away and wrung her hands together.

"We did, but I guess it broke. Look, it's not the end of the world."

Arthur stood up and began to pace.

"I'm gay and I got someone pregnant, of course it's the end of the world!"

Vivian gently grabbed his arm to make him face her.

"It's not. I'm going to give it up for adoption. In seven months it will be like nothing ever happened."

Seven months, that's right. Graduation was only five months away, so by the time the baby was born they'd both be done with school. Arthur already had a job waiting for him in his family's company. Maybe, just maybe, this would work out.

"You're giving it up?"

Vivian nodded.

"I'm not really in a position to raise a baby right now, so I figured it was the best option. My school health insurance will cover the medical bills until it's born, and then it'll go to a family that can give it everything it needs. Like I said, I don't expect anything from you."

Arthur nodded. Well, if he was going to impregnate someone, it looked like he'd at least chosen a girl with a good head on her shoulders.

"Well, I mean, alright."

Vivian gave him a small smile and made for the door.

"I'll leave you alone to process everything." she said as she started to open it.

"Wait! Um, let me give you my number. Just in case."

He quickly scribbled his name and number down on a post-it and held it out for her. She took it and said, "You're a good guy, Arthur Penn."

She was gone by the time he realized he probably should have responded.

/

"YOU WHAT?" Ulysses yelled at his son. Arthur had driven to his father's house to tell him the news in person.

"I got a girl pregnant. Her name is Vivian and she's in my year. She plans to give up the baby for adoption." Arthur repeated. He was impressed with himself. He'd managed to stay seated instead of running for the door, and his voice had remained steady in the face of his father's utter rage.

"You told me three years ago that you were gay. How then, did you manage to get yourself into this mess when you _supposedly_ aren't attracted to women?"

Arthur swallowed and took a deep breath.

"I was at a party when I met Vivian. I had more to drink than was wise. I think you can figure out the rest."

Ulysses pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Your complete lack of responsibility in situations that have can have life-changing consequences never ceases to amaze me."

"I tried to be responsible! I wore a condom, but it broke. I realize that this is not a good situation, but…"

Ulysses slammed his hands onto his desk.

"Not a good situation? Do you have any idea what this will do to the reputation of this family or that of the company?"

Arthur sighed and tried to remain calm.

"I realize that this could be viewed as a black mark on us, but I don't think we have much to worry about. Vivian made it clear that she doesn't expect or want anything from me. I highly doubt she's going to go to the papers with her condition."

"You better hope she doesn't." Ulysses said pointing a finger at his son. He returned to his seat and began to look over the reports on his desk. Arthur took it for the dismissal that it was and quickly made his escape. Once he was back in the car he breathed a sigh of relief.

"That could have been a lot worse." he muttered to himself as he drove away from the estate.

/

Arthur told his friends, and they were just as shocked as he had been. They took it well though, and when Arthur mentioned the adoption plans they patted him on the back and told him that he was the luckiest guy in the world. After that, life went back to normal. Arthur never got a call from Vivian, and the few times he'd seen her on campus she looked like she was doing well. No story about the Penn heir's illegitimate child popped up either, and for that Arthur was more than thankful. In fact, he'd managed to mostly forget about everything until a week after graduation when he got a phone call from the hospital.

"Hello?" he answered sleepily. When he glanced at his bedside clock he saw that it was just after four in the morning.

"_Hello. Is this Arthur Penn?"_

"Yes."

"_I'm sorry to disturb you, but I'm calling from Saint Mary's Hospital. We have a patient, Vivian King, who was brought in not long ago. Your number was in her purse. There was no one else for us to call."_

"Vivian's in the hospital? The baby's not due for another two months."

"_This isn't about the baby, sir. Are you the father?"_

"Yes. What happened to Vivian?"

"_She was in an accident. We're doing everything we can for her, but she's sustained major injuries. I think you should come down here."_

Arthur was definitely awake now.

"I'll be there shortly." he said and then hung up. He jumped out of bed and threw on the first clothes he came to. He'd just moved into his new apartment and hadn't really had time to unpack. A swig of mouthwash later, he grabbed his wallet and keys and flew down the stairs. When he got to the hospital he was led to a waiting room and told that a doctor would be out to speak with him shortly. A half hour later, a tired looking man in blue scrubs came out and called his name.

"That's me." he said as he stood up.

"Are you the father of Vivian King's baby."

"Yes. Is she all right? What about the baby?"

The doctor motioned back to the chair and asked him to have a seat.

"Ms. King was in a car accident. A man ran a red light and hit the driver's side of her car. We did everything we could, but we couldn't stop the swelling in her brain in time. I'm so sorry, but she didn't make it."

Arthur's mind went blank. The only thing he could think was, "And the baby?"

"We did a C-section and delivered the baby. She's in the NICU right now getting tests done."

Arthur nodded. The baby was alive. At that moment his brain registered the pronoun that the doctor had used.

"It's a girl?"

"Yes. She was born at 4:48am and she was three pounds two ounces and fifteen inches long."

"Can I see her?"

The doctor nodded and started to lead Arthur to the NICU. When they got there he ushered Arthur in.

"That's her."

He pointed to an incubator that held a tiny baby. The little girl was hooked up to machines and had an IV, but she was pink and wiggling. When Arthur stepped closer he saw that she had wisps of blonde hair and when she opened her eyes he saw that they were the same color as his. He gently took a seat next to her and just stared.

"Excuse me, sir, I need to get your name for the birth certificate."

He looked at the nurse next to him. She was holding a clipboard and had a pen in her hand ready to write.

"Oh, it's Arthur Bradley Penn." He spelled it for her and then she glanced at the baby.

"And her name?"

Arthur looked once again at his baby, his daughter. She turned toward him and held out her tiny hand as if she was reaching for him.

"Emily Jane. Her name is Emily Jane Penn." he said without hesitation. He spelled it for the nurse and then he was left alone with his little girl. He pressed his fingertips against the plastic and Emily once again reached for him. He felt tears sting his eyes. This little person was his. She was his, and he wasn't going to give her up. He stood up and told one of the nurses that he was going to make a phone call. When he was in the hallway he dialed his father.

"_Arthur? What is it? I've only just woken up."_

Arthur tried to speak, but his throat closed up and all he could get out was a sob.

"_Arthur? Are you all right? What happened?"_

"I'm at the hospital. Vivian's dead. She was in an accident, but Emily's fine."

"_Emily? Who is Emily?"_

"Emily is my daughter. I have a daughter. She's tiny, but she's mine."

"_Are you at Saint Mary's?"_

"Yes." Arthur choked out.

"_Stay there. I'll be there in twenty minutes."_

The line went dead and Arthur collapsed against the wall. He tried to get a hold of himself, but he couldn't stop crying. A passing nurse handed him some tissues after giving him a knowing look. He took them without a word. When he could finally breathe normally again he went back to Emily. She was asleep, but he sat beside her and was soothed by the even rising and falling of her chest. After a while, he became aware of a commotion going on out in the hall. When he turned to see what was going on, he saw his father and George Gaius, his family's lawyer, outside. His father was trying to get into the NICU, but the nurse wasn't letting him. Arthur stood up and walked to the door.

"It's alright. He's my father." he said to the nurse. She looked between him and his father and then nodded.

"Alright, but only two people are allowed in at a time."

Gaius stepped back and Ulysses walked into the room. When he saw Emily a look crossed his face that Arthur didn't recognize. He only looked at her for a moment and then he took Arthur's elbow.

"We need to talk."

He led Arthur back out of the room and Gaius followed after them. They found an empty room and closed the door.

"What are you doing?" Ulysses asked.

Arthur crossed his arms over his chest.

"I don't know what you mean."

Ulysses shook his head.

"Why did you name the child? She's going up for adoption. You knew this."

"No. I changed my mind. I'm keeping her."

Ulysses pinched the bridge of his nose and took a few calming breaths. Gaius just stood silent by the door.

"You can't keep her, Arthur."

"Yes I can! She's mine! I have every right to keep her, don't I?" he asked looking to Gaius for confirmation.

"Technically, yes. You have a home and means to support her, and you are her biological parent. No court would contest your rights to her, especially since the mother is no longer with us."

"Be that as it may, you don't know the first thing about being a father." Ulysses added.

Arthur let his hands fall to his side and replied, "I can learn."

"He_ is_ all the child has in the world, Ulysses."

Arthur turned towards Gaius.

"What do you mean?"

"Your father had me do some digging into Vivian after you told him of your situation. I discovered that she was a ward of the state."

"She was an orphan?"

Gaius nodded and Arthur turned back to his father.

"Then that's all the more reason for me to keep Emily. She's got no one else."

Ulysses shook his head.

"She could be adopted and then she'd have a family."

"I am her family! Please, don't make me give her up. I can't."

Ulysses took a step towards Arthur, but Arthur stepped away from him.

"Arthur, I know this is hard for you, but…"

"Could you have given me up?" Arthur interrupted.

"What?"

"Could you have given me up? When Mother died you became a single father who didn't know how to raise a child. So, we're the same. Could you have done what you're asking me to do? Could you have given me up?"

The room was deathly silent. Even Gaius seemed to be waiting for the answer. Finally, Ulysses sighed and said, "Of course not."

"Then don't ask me to do something that you wouldn't have done. Emily is mine, and I'm keeping her."

As far as Arthur was concerned, that was the end of the discussion. He made for the door and no one stopped him.

/

Over the next few weeks Arthur spent as much time at the hospital as he could. He still went to work, but if he wasn't there or sleeping, he was beside Emily. She was growing like she was supposed to and all the doctors said that there was nothing to say that she wouldn't be a normal, healthy girl.

Gaius took care of Vivian's affairs. Her possessions were sorted and either thrown out or sold and all of her money went into a bank account in Emily's name. A small funeral was arranged for her and Arthur and Gaius were in attendance. Ulysses even showed up, much to the other two's amazement. Vivian's friends were shocked to find out that Arthur was keeping the baby, but they were glad and wished him well. As they were leaving the graveyard Gaius pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Arthur. He looked at it and saw that it was a picture of Vivian. She was sitting against one of the trees on the lawn of their university. The sun was hitting her in just the right way to accentuate the blue of her eyes and the shine of her blonde hair. She was smiling and Arthur once again noticed how pretty her smile was.

"I thought Emily might like to know what her mother looked like one day." Gaius said. Arthur smiled and gave him a hug.

"Thank you."

The next Saturday, Arthur was about to leave for the hospital when there was a knock on his door. When he opened it he saw a group of delivery men.

"Can I help you?"

"We've got a shipment for Arthur Penn. Is that you?"

Arthur nodded and a clipboard was thrust in his direction.

"Sign at the bottom and tell us where you'd like this stuff."

Arthur signed the form and then asked, "What is it?"

"Uh, it looks like a crib, changing table, dresser, and desk."

"What? I didn't order any of that."

The guy took the clipboard back and flipped to the next page.

"Well, a Ulysses Penn did, and it's already been paid for, so where would you like it all?"

Arthur showed them to the spare bedroom. When they were gone he called his father.

"You ordered furniture for me?" he asked before his father could speak.

"_You got it then?"_

"Yes, just now. Why did you buy me furniture?"

"_Well, it's not for you. It's for Emily. I knew that you probably hadn't had time to get anything for her, so I took the liberty."_

Arthur was silent for a moment.

"I don't know what to say."

"_One usually offers his thanks in these situations."_

"Thank you." Arthur said quickly.

"_You're welcome. Perhaps tonight I could help you put the crib together. I've made a list of other stuff you'll need to get before she comes home, so I'll bring it with me."_

"That would be great. I'll, uh, I'll see you tonight. Is six good?"

"_Six is fine. Goodbye."_

The line went dead but Arthur couldn't help staring at his phone for a while. This was a side of his father that he'd never seen. Frankly, it made him nervous. Before he could think about it anymore he grabbed his things and left for the hospital.

/

"She's doing very well." the nurse was telling Arthur. Emily was in his arms and had his finger wrapped in her little fist.

"Yeah? She's a lot bigger than she was when she was born."

The nurse nodded and smiled.

"Her doctor will have the final say, but I think you can probably count on taking her home next weekend."

"Really?"

"Yep. She's strong. I bet she gets that from her father."

Arthur looked down at Emily and was once again struck with how much she looked like him.

"It seems she got a lot from me."

Emily just squeezed his finger.

/

"So, I might be able to bring Emily home next weekend." Arthur said as he and his father sat on the floor of what would be her bedroom. Ulysses looked up from where he was reading the assembly instructions for the crib.

"That would be good." he finally replied. They worked in silence after that. Once the crib was done Arthur tested it for stability.

"It looks like we make a pretty good team." he said once he was assured that it wasn't going to fall apart.

"Well I should hope so." Ulysses said.

"Where are you going to put everything else? You can't very well leave it all against that wall."

Arthur looked at the other things and sighed. He pointed to the desk and said, "Well, I think that should go on the wall by the door."

Ulysses nodded and moved toward it. With Arthur's help they got it in place. Arthur pushed the chair underneath it and then nodded toward the dresser.

"That can stay where it is on the wall with the closet. The changing table can go under the window."

It was moved and then Arthur looked around with a smile. Everything looked fine.

"Well, here's the list of things I thought you should buy." Ulysses said holding out a slip of paper. It was quite a long list.

"Is all of this necessary?" he asked scanning it.

"It's what I remembered needing for you, so yes, it's necessary."

Arthur nodded but didn't take his eyes off the paper.

"Well, I guess I'll be doing some shopping tomorrow."

"Yes. Well, since everything is finished here I suppose I'll go."

Arthur watched his father walk out of the room. He didn't want him to leave just yet.

"Wait! Um, I was wondering if I could take you out to dinner to thank you for the furniture. I really do appreciate it."

Ulysses looked like he was going to decline, but then he nodded.

"Fine, but I'm picking the restaurant. The last time you took me to dinner the food was awful."

Arthur laughed.

"Fair enough."

/

The next day found Arthur shopping for car seats, strollers, baby monitors, bottles, formula, diapers, wipes, clothes, blankets, sheets for the crib, and a bassinet for his room because apparently newborns weren't supposed to sleep in their own rooms. He had two carts worth of supplies and the girl that checked him out gave him a strange look. He ignored her. When he finally got everything home and put away all he wanted to do was go and see Emily. His phone rang before he could even make a move toward the door.

"Hello?"

"_Arthur, are you at home?"_

"Yes."

"_I have something that I'd like to bring by, if that's alright."_

"That's fine."

"_I'll be there shortly."_

The line went dead and Arthur was left wondering what in the world his father was bringing over. Fifteen minutes later, he had his answer. His father appeared and he was carrying an old rocking chair. He placed it in the corner of Emily's room and then turned to Arthur.

"Your mother picked it out. When she was pregnant with you she would sit in it and rock for hours stroking her stomach and talking to you. After you were born, if there was ever a time when you would cry and I couldn't find any other way to make you stop, I would rock you in it. It always calmed you down. I thought you should have it."

A lump appeared in Arthur's throat and all he could do was nod his thanks. When he could speak again he motioned to the door.

"I was just about to go see Emily. Why don't you come with me?"

His father hadn't seen her since the day she was born. The older man hesitated for a moment, but then he said, "I suppose I could go for a half hour or so."

Arthur nodded and they both made their way to the hospital. When Arthur placed Emily in his father's arms, he knew that the older man was hooked. Ulysses didn't put her down for the whole afternoon.

/

Over the next five days Arthur and his father spent more time together than they had in years. Arthur got to see a whole new side to the man he'd known his whole life; a more relaxed and smiling side. On Monday night they painted Emily's room a soft yellow. Tuesday they washed all her clothes and Ulysses told him the proper way to change a diaper, heat a bottle, feed, and burp a baby. Wednesday had them baby-proofing the apartment even though it wasn't necessary until Emily started crawling. On Thursday Ulysses brought over stuffed animals and books about princesses that he'd bought. Arthur had made the finishing touches to her room and was eager to show it off. The crib was made, the changing table was stocked, her clothes were in the dresser, and he'd even gotten her a mobile that had pink, blue, and yellow flowers hanging from it that played "You Are My Sunshine." Ulysses clapped his back and told him that it looked like he was ready. Friday finally arrived and Emily's doctor said that she could go home the next afternoon. Arthur felt like jumping he was so happy. He called his father that night as he was putting the car seat in the back of his car.

"_I'd like to come with you to bring her home, if that's alright?"_

"Of course it is! I don't know what I would have done without your help this past week. It's only right that you're there when she comes home."

They agreed on a time for Arthur to pick him up and then the call was ended. Arthur picked out an outfit for Emily to wear and then tried to get some sleep.

/

The next day Arthur waved goodbye to the nurses and doctors and walked proudly out of the hospital with his little girl. Ulysses brought the car around and then helped Arthur get the car seat secure. Arthur had never driven more carefully than he did on his way home. Finally, finally, he walked through the door of his apartment with Emily in his arms.

"Welcome home, Emily." he said as he gave her the tour. She just stared up at him with her big blue eyes.

"And this is your room. I hope you like it, because your grandfather and I put a lot of work into it." Arthur said kicking open her door. He sat down with her in the rocking chair and began to gently rock with her. Ulysses watched from his place by the door. It didn't take long before Emily was yawning and closing her eyes. When she was asleep Arthur carried her into his room and put her in the bassinet. He flicked on the monitor and then walked back into the living room. He sat on the couch next to his father and smiled.

"She's finally home." he whispered.

"Now comes the hard part." Ulysses reminded him.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: This chapter made me smile even as I was writing it. I hope it makes all of you smile too. Feel free to leave a review to tell me your thoughts!

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is Emily.

/

For the next several months Arthur gave up on getting a full nights' rest. On the bright side, he became an expert at changing a diaper and could make a bottle with his eyes closed. Even though he was so sleep deprived he felt like joining Emily when she cried, he wouldn't have changed a thing.

His father gave him six weeks of leave when she came home, and he was glad to have the time off. He loved being a junior editor at Penn Publishing, but Emily was more important. When his leave was over it was really hard for Arthur to leave her at daycare. His only consolation was that in eight hours he could pick her up. That became the routine, and from then on time seemed to pass so quickly Arthur could barely keep up. Before he thought it was possible Emily was ten months old and was starting to crawl. Not long after that, they got some new neighbors. Arthur was making himself dinner while simultaneously feeding Emily some mashed carrots when there was a knock on the door.

"One moment!" he called as he grabbed Emily from her highchair. He walked to the door while she amused herself with pulling his hair. When he got the door opened two people stood on the other side wearing matching grins.

"Hello." Arthur said in a confused tone. The man extended his hand and Arthur shuffled Emily over so that he could shake it. The stranger was tall, tan, with dark brown hair and deep brown eyes. The woman was small with mocha skin, curly brown hair, and bright brown eyes.

"Hello! I'm Lance and this is my wife Gwen. We just moved in next door."

Arthur smiled.

"Well, welcome to the building. I'm Arthur and this is my daughter Emily."

Gwen smiled and said, "She's adorable! How old is she? I'd guess about nine, ten months."

Arthur nodded.

"Ten months last week. How'd you guess?"

"I'm a pediatric nurse. I'm also expecting." she said placing a hand over her stomach.

"Well, congratulations!"

"Thank you. We won't keep you long, we just wanted to say hello." Lance said putting his hand on the small of Gwen's back.

"It's not a problem. I was just attempting to make dinner."

"Well, I'm a pretty good cook if you're ever hungry. We'd be more than happy to have you over."

"I'll remember that." Arthur said with a smile. Lance waved and they moved back toward their apartment. Emily giggled and waved back.

"You like them, huh?" Arthur asked her. She just gave him a big smile.

/

Arthur really liked Gwen and Lance too. They became fast friends. Gwen was actually the first person he called when Emily took her first steps. Even his father seemed to like them when he met them at Emily's first birthday party. A few months later Gwen gave birth to a baby boy that they named Thomas. Many play dates were planned for him and Emily. By that time Emily was talking, but Arthur would always remember that her first word had been "dad." Life went on and time seemed to fly. Arthur loved his life. He thought he had everything he needed until Emily mentioned something that was missing.

"Daddy, why don't you have someone to love?"

She was three now and was in the stage where she was constantly asking questions.

"What do you mean? I have people to love. I love you and Grandfather and Aunt Gwen and Uncle Lance and Tommy. I have plenty of people to love." Arthur answered as he set down her plate of scrambled eggs.

"No, not like that. Someone to love like Aunt Gwen loves Uncle Lance."

Arthur took a sip of his coffee before he answered.

"Well, I don't know. I guess I just haven't had time to look for someone."

"You should." Emily said.

Arthur laughed and stole a bite of her eggs.

"You think so? Why?"

Emily put her hand over Arthur's and sighed.

"Because you're lonely, Daddy."

"I'm not lonely!"

"Yes you are. That's why you sleep with that big pillow."

Arthur almost choked on his coffee. She wasn't supposed to know that.

"I don't want you to be lonely. I want you to look at someone like Grandpa looks at a picture of Grandma."

She hopped off her chair and went to change out of her pajamas. Arthur could only stare after her and wonder when she became so perceptive.

/

That Friday Gwen and Lance agreed to watch Emily so that Arthur could have a night out.

"Emily, are you ready to go to Aunt Gwen's and Uncle Lance's?" he called down the hallway. She emerged from her room with her little pink backpack and a smile.

"Yes! I packed my pj's and my toothbrush." she said proudly.

Arthur smiled at her and took her hand. They walked next door together and Arthur knocked. Usually Lance opened the door, but tonight it wasn't Lance or Gwen. Standing in the doorway was a man Arthur had never seen before. He was taller than Arthur, but not my much, with short black hair and the brightest blue eyes he'd ever seen. He smiled at Arthur and the expression only made his cheekbones more prominent.

"Hi! You must be Arthur. Gwen said she was expecting you." he said standing to the side so Arthur could come in.

"My name's Emily! What's yours?" Emily asked. The man bent down to her level and held out his hand.

"My name is Colin. It's very nice to meet you, Emily."

Emily took his hand and gave him a big smile. At that moment Gwen walked up holding Tommy.

"Hey guys! Emily, would you like to go and play with Tommy in the living room?" she asked. Emily nodded and ran off with the boy after his mother set him down. Gwen came and gave Arthur a hug.

"I see you've already met Merlin."

Arthur returned her hug and gave a confused look to the other man.

"He said his name was Colin."

The man laughed and a light blush crept over his face.

"It is, Merlin is an old nickname."

"Interesting choice." Arthur said when Gwen pulled away.

"It's a long story."

Gwen waved her hand in a dismissive gesture.

"No it's not. Merlin and I were neighbors and best friends growing up, even though he's three years younger than me. Anyway, he started playing the piano when he was three and he took to it like a fish takes to water. Every time he plays it's like he has you under a spell, so I started calling him Merlin. The name stuck."

Arthur nodded.

"Well, it makes a little more sense now. So, Merlin, what brings you to New York?"

"I graduated a few weeks ago from The Boston Conservatory and I got offered a spot in the Philharmonic."

Arthur's eyes widened.

"Really? That's amazing. You must be as good as Gwen says."

The blush darkened and Merlin looked away.

"I guess."

Gwen laughed.

"Don't let him fool you, Arthur. He's brilliant! He's also incredibly modest."

"So, where're you living?" Arthur asked.

"No where yet. Gwen and Lance are letting me sleep on the couch until I can find something. I got here this afternoon but I've got a whole day of apartment hunting lined up tomorrow. Hopefully I can get something this weekend. Rehearsals start Monday morning and I still need to get all my stuff shipped from my mom's house."

"Well, good luck."

"Thanks!" Merlin replied with another broad grin. Arthur's heart started beating faster the longer he looked at it. He was so drawn in that he didn't realize that Gwen had been talking until she said his name.

"Sorry, what?" he asked.

"I was just saying that maybe you could take Merlin with you when you go out tonight. That way he could get a taste of the nightlife instead of watching Disney movies and babysitting."

Arthur was about to reply when Merlin beat him to it saying, "No, it's really ok. I don't want to intrude or anything."

Arthur shook his head.

"You wouldn't be. I'm just going down to the bar for a few drinks and maybe grab some dinner somewhere. You're more than welcome to join me."

Merlin looked between him and Gwen and then finally nodded.

"I'll just get my wallet then." When he walked away Gwen gave Arthur a delighted smile.

"What's that look for?" Arthur asked.

"Nothing, nothing. It's just that Merlin is my oldest friend and I love him like a brother. There's nothing I don't know about him and vice versa."

"And?"

Gwen's smile turned into a smirk.

"_And_ I know that you're just his type. Judging by the way you were looking at him just a second ago, he's your type too."

This was not the first time Gwen had tried to set him up. A few months after they met she tried to convince him to ask out a fellow nurse that Gwen worked with. That's when he told her of his attraction to men.

"Gwen, I don't even know him. I'm taking him out to be nice."

She nodded.

"Sure, but you never know, right?"

Arthur didn't get a chance to answer since Merlin had come back.

"All right, I'm ready when you are." he said.

"Then let's go." Arthur said without looking at Gwen.

/

Two drink in, and Arthur could already tell that he and Merlin were going to be good friends.

"So then Will pushed her in the pond. Gwen was so mad when she finally got out."

Arthur tossed his head back in a laugh. Merlin giggled with him and Arthur tried not to think about how adorable he was.

"But enough about me. I'm pretty sure you know everything important by this point. Tell me about you."

Arthur took another sip of his drink before responding.

"Well, I'm twenty-five and I work as a junior editor at Penn Publishing which is my family's business. My grandfather started it when he was my age. Let's see, I've lived in New York my whole life. I graduated from NYU with a double major in English and Business. I was in college when I met Vivian, Emily's mother. It was a drunken one-night stand that led to her conception. It's one of those things that I'm not proud of but that I wouldn't change for the world. Vivian was actually the first and only woman I've ever been with." he finished with another long sip of his drink.

"What happened to her?"

"She died. A guy ran a red light and hit the driver's side of her car when she was still pregnant with Emily. They did everything they could, but she didn't make it. They had to deliver Emily two months early in order to save her. She spent almost two months in the hospital before I could bring her home."

Merlin's eyes widened.

"Geez, I'm sorry."

Arthur shook his head.

"Don't be. Shit happens, that's how life is. Anyway, Vivian was an orphan and she'd planned to give Emily up for adoption. I'd agreed to it, but then when I saw her I just couldn't. That's pretty much the story of my life."

Merlin sipped his own drink for a minute.

"What about your family? Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Nope. It's just my father and I. My mother died when I was born and my father never remarried. There is Gaius though. He's my family's lawyer and I've known him my whole life, so I guess he's family too."

Merlin laughed.

"His name is Gaius?"

"Well, that's his last name. His first name is George but everyone just calls him Gaius."

It was around that time that they finished their drinks and Arthur motioned toward the door.

"Care for some dinner?"

"Sure, but I'll have to trust your taste in restaurants."

Arthur smiled.

"I know a good place that's only a few blocks away."

They walked there in a companionable silence. If Arthur noticed that Merlin seemed to walk closer to him than was strictly necessary he didn't say anything about it. Over dinner he explained how he met Gwen and Lance. Merlin smiled and nodded when he heard that Gwen had offered to make him dinner even without really knowing him.

"She's just that kind of person. It's no wonder she makes a living taking care of people and that she's a great mother."

"Yeah, she's pretty much the greatest. Lance is a real stand-up guy too."

Merlin nodded.

"Yeah. I remember when they first met. I had just started at the Conservatory and she called me at three in the morning. She'd just come back from a party where she'd met this guy named Lance. They'd talked the whole night and he'd walked her home. She told me that she'd never met anyone like him and that she thought they were made for each other. I guess she was right."

"I guess she was. What about you? Have you met your other half?"

Merlin laughed and shook his head.

"If I had then I wouldn't be single, would I? I've actually only been in one relationship and it didn't work out. Two kisses in and I figured out that I didn't much care for girls. She took it well though. We stayed friends until she moved away for college. I've been in love once though. That didn't go anywhere either though. I told you about Will, Gwen and I's friend, well he was my first love. I never got a chance to tell him though. He was killed our senior year of high school in a drive-by shooting. After that I just wasn't in the mood to look for anyone."

"I know what you mean. After Emily was born I guess I tuned out the world. She took up every spare second I had and I was fine with that."

Merlin nodded and gave Arthur a small smile.

"Still tuning out the world?" he asked quietly.

Arthur saw the blush that Merlin was trying to hide and felt his heart pick up.

"No, I'm not."

After dinner they walked back to the apartment building together and this time Arthur made sure that his shoulder bumped Merlin's a few times. When they got to Gwen's door Arthur bit back his nerves and took Merlin's hand.

"I'm really out of practice with this whole dating thing, but I'd really like to see you again. Maybe we could catch a movie on Sunday?"

Merlin looked at their joined hands and then met Arthur's nervous gaze. He squeezed Arthur's hand and nodded.

"I'd like that. Maybe we could bring Emily? I'd like to get to know her better."

Arthur nodded.

"I'm sure she'd love to come."

Merlin squeezed Arthur's hand again and then leaned in to press his lips gently to Arthur's. It was barely a kiss but it still left him breathless.

"Enjoy the rest of your night." he said before he let himself into the apartment with Gwen's spare keys. Arthur was left with no choice but to go back to his own apartment and replay everything that had happened that night.

/

When Arthur went to pick up Emily the next morning Merlin was already gone. Lance opened the door and gave him a friendly smile and a one-armed hug. He'd just released Arthur when Emily came running out of the kitchen and attached herself to his leg.

"Well good morning!" he said as he ruffled her hair.

"Good morning, Daddy!" she said as she ran off again to get her bag.

"How was she?" he asked Lance.

"Perfect as always. You know you never need to worry."

"Well, I really appreciate you guys taking her last night."

"It wasn't a problem. How'd your date go? Gwen told me that you took Merlin out."

Arthur shook his head. He should have known.

"It was good. We're going to go see a movie with Emily tomorrow."

Lance's eyes widened.

"Really? That's great. Merlin is a really nice guy."

"Yeah, he is."

Emily came back with her bag in hand and Arthur waved goodbye to Lance. When they were back home Arthur asked Emily, "What would you think about going to see a movie tomorrow with Merlin and I?"

Her eyes lit up.

"That would be fun! He helped Tommy and I make pancakes for breakfast this morning while Uncle Lance and Aunt Gwen were still asleep. He's really nice and funny. I like him."

"I like him too. Now, go get changed. We're supposed to go have lunch with Grandfather soon."

She ran off to her room and Arthur leaned against the door. It'd been a long time since he'd been this excited.

/

On Saturday night Arthur called over to Gwen's and talked with Merlin about what movie they would go see. There was a new animated kid's movie out that looked like something Emily would like. They agreed on a time and then hung up. Arthur had a hard time getting to sleep that night. The next day saw him and Merlin swinging Emily between them on the way to the theater.

"Again! Again!" she laughed as she tugged on their hands. Arthur glanced at Merlin and they became her swing once again.

"Can I have gummy bears at the movie, Daddy?" she asked after she'd calmed down from her laughing fit.

"I guess you can. As long as you promise to eat all your vegetables at dinner tonight."

"Is Merlin staying for dinner?" she asked looking between them. Merlin looked at Arthur and shrugged.

"Yes." Arthur answered. Emily let out a happy squeal and ran forward dragging both men with her. They got to the theater and Arthur bought all three tickets.

"You didn't have to do that." Merlin said when they were in line for snacks.

"You paid for your own drinks and dinner last night, and this is supposed to be a date."

Merlin smiled but said, "Fine, but I'm getting the snacks."

Arthur didn't argue. When they were picking seats in the theater Arthur tried to put Emily in the middle, but she shook her head.

"No, Merlin goes in the middle." she insisted.

"Why?" Arthur asked her.

She sighed.

"Because I know that you want to sit next to him, Daddy."

Merlin did a terrible job at trying to hide his laugh. Arthur was just glad that the theater was dark so that no one could see him blush. Merlin settled into the seat next to Arthur and Emily plopped down next to him. Arthur leaned forward so that he could see her but Merlin put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll guard her with my life."

Arthur smiled at him and sat back. Halfway through the movie he felt Merlin's hand settle on top of his on the armrest. He turned his hand so that he could lace their fingers together and tried unsuccessfully to wipe the smile off his face. When the end credits started to roll and the lights came back on Emily started bouncing in her seat.

"I liked it!" she said happily.

"Me too!" Merlin said as he stood up. He didn't let go of Arthur's hand, and Arthur didn't pull away. When they were in the lobby Emily reached for Merlin's other hand without a word. He let her take it and Arthur smiled. When they got home Emily ran to her room to play while Arthur moved toward the kitchen. Merlin followed after him.

"She likes you." Arthur said.

Merlin leaned against the counter and smiled.

"I like her too."

"She's pretty great."

"That she is, but then, so's her father." Merlin said. Arthur smiled at him and pulled him in for a kiss. Merlin kissed him back instantly. Arthur let his hands settle on Merlin's hips and Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur's neck. Arthur pulled away long before he wanted to.

"We shouldn't do this in the kitchen. Emily will never let me hear the end of it."

Merlin laughed as he stepped back.

"Well, we wouldn't want your daughter embarrassing you, now would we?"

"It would be a tragedy."

Arthur decided to make chicken and broccoli alfredo for dinner and Merlin helped him. Arthur was astonished at how easily they worked together and maneuvered around each other in the small space. He wondered if Merlin noticed. When dinner was ready and the table was set he called for Emily. She came skipping down the hallway and took her seat at the table. Over dinner she told them how her baby doll was angry at her teddy bear because he stole the doll's hair bow. Merlin listened to her as if she was giving him the answers to all of life's problems. When she was done Merlin told her that he had a similar problem when he was her age. One of his G.I. Joe's caused a Power Ranger to break his leg and all his other toys refused to play with him. Emily giggled all the way through his story. After dinner Merlin insisted that he do the washing up while Arthur gave Emily her bath. He'd just gotten her changed into her pajamas when she said, "I want Merlin to tuck me in."

"Ok." Arthur said and gave her a kiss. He walked back into the living room to see that everything was spotless.

"Wow, you did a good job."

"My mom would be appalled if I didn't."

Arthur laughed and gestured to the hallway.

"Emily wants you to tuck her in."

"Really?"

Arthur nodded and Merlin made his way to Emily's room. He walked in to find her already in bed.

"Come here." she whispered to him.

He walked over and sat on the edge of her bed.

"I have a secret to tell you."

"What is it?" Merlin asked in a whisper.

"My daddy really, _really_ likes you."

Merlin gasped.

"He does?"

Emily nodded.

"How do you know that?" Merlin asked.

"Because he told me yesterday and because he looks at you like Uncle Lance looks at Aunt Gwen."

"Well, I've got a secret for you too."

Emily scooted closer to him.

"I really like your daddy too."

Emily gave him her biggest smile.

"Daddy needs someone to love. I hope he picks you." she said leaning up and kissing his cheek before settling into her pillows. Merlin pulled her covers over her and then turned off her light and shut her door. He walked back out to Arthur and shook his head.

"You've got a really perceptive kid." he said.

Arthur laughed.

"I know. I don't know where she gets it from."

Merlin joined him on the couch and pressed himself into Arthur's side.

"So, I found an apartment. It's a small studio in Alphabet City. I got the paperwork all done and I can move in on Wednesday."

Arthur pulled him closer and said, "Congratulations," before pulling him into a kiss. Merlin smiled against his lips and melted into him. When they pulled apart he sighed.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked.

"Nothing really. I just had a feeling when I moved here that my life was going to change in a major way. I was right."

"Is that a bad thing?"

Merlin cupped his cheek and shook his head.

"Not at all. I just didn't know it would happen so fast. In three days I've managed to get a new home and a new boyfriend. That's got to be a record."

"Boyfriend, huh?" Arthur asked. Merlin let his hand drop but Arthur reached for him and kissed him again.

"I like the sound of that." he said against Merlin's lips.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello everyone! This chapter contains some explicit content, so if that's not your cup of tea then it would be best to skip the last part. Also, Hunith is now Helen. I think that's it, so happy reading and as always, feel free to review.

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is Emily.

/

It turns out that when Merlin called his mom to tell her he got an apartment, she didn't feel like shipping his things. She rented a small moving van and drove everything over herself. Of course, she didn't tell anyone she was going to do that until she was an hour from the city. Merlin was sitting on the couch in Arthur's apartment coloring with Emily while Arthur picked up some take-out for dinner.

"What do you mean you're about an hour away?" he asked into his phone.

"_I mean I should be there in an hour. I brought your things."_

"Mom! You didn't have to do that! I can't move in until tomorrow anyway."

"_You don't have that much, honey."_

"I know, but I can't ask Gwen and Lance to put up me _and_ my stuff."

Arthur came through the door at that moment and Emily held a finger up to her lips to silently tell him to be quiet. Merlin met his gaze with a bewildered and amused look.

"_We'll figure something out. Anyway, I've got Gwen's address in the GPS so I'll see you soon. Oh! And I want to meet this Arthur you told me about."_

She hung up before Merlin could say anything else. He could only laugh as he dropped the phone back on the coffee table.

"Who was that?" Arthur asked as he unpacked the take-out.

"My mother. She's on her way here with all my stuff."

"I thought she was going to ship it to you."

Merlin shook his head.

"So did I, but apparently she decided to hand-deliver it."

"So I can meet your mommy?" Emily asked as she crawled into Merlin's lap. He wrapped his arms around her and nodded.

"Yay! I bet she's really nice and really pretty."

Merlin and Arthur laughed.

"I bet she is. Now, let's eat before it gets cold." Arthur said as he set out plates and silverware. Merlin carried Emily to the table and set her down in her chair.

"You can keep your stuff here if you want." Arthur said after he took a few bites. Merlin raised an eyebrow at him.

"What? There's plenty of room for some boxes and stuff in here." Arthur defended.

"There's only eight boxes, but I've also got a futon and my piano."

"What's a futon?" Emily asked.

"It's a small couch that can also be used as a bed. It was in my dorm room at the Conservatory."

She nodded and went back to her meal. Arthur continued, "It won't be a problem. Besides, you're moving into your place tomorrow, so it's not like it'll be here long. There's an elevator in your new building, right?"

Merlin nodded.

"It's an industrial one too. That's one of the reasons I got the place; the elevator was big enough to fit my piano."

"What about other furniture? And I'm assuming you'll need dishes and cooking stuff."

"I know. I was going to look this weekend. I can sleep on my futon until then and I have a few pots and pans, so it'll be fine."

"Can I go with you?" Emily asked.

"I'd love if you came with me, but you need to ask your daddy."

Emily looked at Arthur and asked, "Can I, Daddy? Please?"

"It's alright with me if it's alright with Merlin."

"Yay!"

"You can come too, if you want." Merlin said.

Arthur shook his head.

"I'll pass. I hate shopping."

Merlin laughed and they finished their meal in comfortable silence.

/

An hour and five minutes after Merlin hung up with his mother she called him again to let him know she was out front. He went next door to tell Gwen and Lance and Arthur picked up Emily. As a group they went down to meet her and help her get Merlin's things upstairs.

"Hi, Mom!" Merlin said as he wrapped her in a hug. Gwen was next in line, followed by Lance and Tommy. When she had given the boy back to his father she turned to Arthur and Emily.

"Mom, this is Arthur and his daughter Emily." Merlin said by way of introduction.

Arthur set down Emily and the little girl extended her hand to the older woman.

"It's very nice to meet you. My name is Emily Penn."

She shook the little hand with a smile and said, "The pleasure is all mine, Emily. My name is Helen Emrys."

She then looked up at Arthur and he tried to shake her hand as well, but she batted his hand away and pulled him in for a hug. After that everyone grabbed a box while Helen stayed with Tommy and Emily. Once all the boxes were in Arthur's apartment, Lance and Arthur each took an end of the futon while Gwen and Merlin wheeled the piano together. When everything was settled and Helen had gotten her things Lance took the moving van to drop it off.

"So, where are you staying?" Arthur asked as he got drinks for everyone from his kitchen.

"I figured I'd get a hotel room for the night and get a train back to Philadelphia tomorrow."

"You should stay with us." Emily offered.

Helen was about to decline when Arthur said, "Of course you should. There's no need to pay for a place."

She looked at Merlin and her son nodded at her.

"Well, if you insist then I won't turn down your generosity."

They all sat talking until Lance got back and then it was time for the kids to go to bed. Gwen and Lance took Tommy home and Arthur led Emily away so she could get a bath. When they were alone, Helen turned knowing eyes on her son.

"He's very nice."

"Yeah, he is. Emily's a sweetheart too."

Helen nodded and smiled.

"She certainly is. I just have to wonder if maybe this is all happening too soon."

Merlin took his mother's hand.

"I know that you'll worry about me no matter what I say, but I'm telling you that you don't have to. I know my relationship with Arthur happened suddenly, but I really care about him. I know he cares about me too. And I adore Emily."

Helen squeezed his hand.

"I know that you're an adult and perfectly capable of making your own decisions about your life, and I'll support those decisions, no matter what they are. I just want to make sure that you know what you're getting into here. Arthur is a father, and by having a relationship with him you will have to be a father too. Are you ready for that?"

Merlin didn't hesitate to answer, "Yes."

"As long as you're sure then I'm happy for you."

"I'm sure, and thank you."

After that, talk turned to his new place and how playing for the Philharmonic was going. It wasn't too long before Emily came running down the hallway with wet hair and dressed in her pajamas. She launched herself at Merlin and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Goodnight, Merlin! I'll see you tomorrow when Daddy and I come to see your home."

Merlin hugged her back and said, "Yes you will. Have good dreams."

She kissed his cheek and then waved at Helen before running back down the hall. Arthur emerged a few minutes later and Merlin stood up.

"I should go too. Rehearsal starts early tomorrow."

"I'll walk you back." Arthur said. Merlin leaned down to give his mother a hug and a kiss and then followed Arthur out into the hall. As soon as the door closed he pulled Merlin in for a kiss.

"I've wanted to do that all day."

"You weren't the only one."

They exchanged chaste kisses for a minute or so and then Merlin pulled back.

"Good luck with my mom tonight. She's probably going to ask you all kinds of embarrassing questions."

Arthur smiled.

"She wouldn't be a very good mother if she didn't."

Merlin kissed him one more time before disappearing into Gwen and Lance's apartment. Arthur made his way back to his own home. If he was a little nervous he didn't let it show as he opened the door.

/

Luckily for Arthur, Helen didn't interrogate him until the next morning. She had gotten up, put her sheets in the washing machine, and made breakfast by the time Arthur walked into the living room.

"You really didn't have to do all this. I could have handled it." he said as he made himself a cup of coffee. Helen just waved him off.

"It's the least I can do after you let me stay here."

They each took a plate of eggs and toast and sat down at the table. Arthur was halfway through his meal when Helen finally asked, "So you're dating my son?"

Arthur met her gaze and nodded.

"Yes. I know it happened pretty suddenly."

"It did, but as long as you care about him and take care of him then you have my blessing."

"You have my word that I will."

Helen finished her breakfast and then said, "The way he looks at you, I've never seen him look at anyone like that. And how he acts around Emily, I know he loves her."

"He's really great with Emily, and she thinks the world of him."

Helen nodded and then got up to clear away the dishes. Arthur tried to stop her, but it was no use. She had just put them away when Emily came down the hall.

"Good morning, Daddy!" she said as she climbed up in his lap.

He kissed the top of her head and said, "Good morning, sweetheart. Helen made us breakfast."

Helen brought her a plate and she smiled.

"Thank you!"

"You are most welcome."

Arthur moved her over to her chair and said he was going to take a shower.

"When you're done you need to brush your teeth and get dressed." he told Emily. She nodded and then he left. When he came back out dressed and ready for work he found Emily waiting at the door with her backpack and Merlin and Helen standing with her.

"I didn't expect to see you this morning. I thought you had an early rehearsal."

Merlin smiled.

"The conductor gave half of us the day off so that he could work with the string section. I got the call right as I was about to leave and decided that I'd take my mom out to see the city before she goes home."

Arthur nodded and reached for Emily's hand.

"Will you walk with us to drop me off?" Emily asked. Merlin knelt down and kissed her cheek.

"Of course!" he said. She gave him her brightest smile. Helen watched and a small smile graced her face as well. The four of them made their way out of the building and onto the street. At the entrance to Emily's daycare she hugged Merlin and his mom and then ran inside. Arthur hugged Helen and told her that she was welcome back at anytime and then he gave Merlin a quick kiss with a promise to see him later. Then he followed after Emily to see that she was all settled. As Merlin and Helen walked away she took her son's hand.

"You've got a good thing with them."

"I know."

/

That night everyone helped Merlin move into his new place. Once everything was there and unpacked, Lance opened the wine while Gwen took some glasses out of her purse. Arthur brought sparkling grape juice for the kids.

"You didn't have to do this." Merlin said as Gwen handed him a glass.

"Just be glad this is all we did." Lance added.

"To your new place! May you be happy here." Gwen said as she raised her glass.

Everyone joined her and they drank.

After he swallowed Merlin looked at Arthur and said, "I'm sure I will be."

They didn't stay long after that since the kids needed to be getting to bed, but Merlin told Emily that he would pick her up at nine on Saturday for their shopping date.

"I should have her back by dinner time at the latest. We'll get lunch somewhere in the city." he told Arthur.

"That's fine, as long as you have dinner at our place."

Merlin nodded and then leaned in to kiss him. Emily giggled at the sight. Arthur sighed and pulled away.

"I'll see you later." he said as he picked up his daughter. Merlin waved them both away and then leaned against his new front door. Life was good.

/

Saturday came and went. Emily and Merlin had a fun and productive day. Emily helped him pick out a bed (they both agreed on the bounciest one), dishes (colorful ones), sheets ("These feel like my daddy's shirts!" "Then those are the one's we're getting."), and a few other essentials. Dinner was good, but making out was even better after Emily went to bed. By the time Merlin got home that night it was well past midnight and his lips still tingled.

/

The next few weeks passed in a whirlwind of rehearsals, deadlines, play dates, movies, dinners, and kisses. Arthur couldn't remember a time when he was as happy as he was now. Even the upcoming dinner with his father couldn't dampen his mood. He and Merlin had been dating for two months and Ulysses thought it was time for him to meet the man who'd stolen his son's heart. Merlin was incredibly nervous, but Emily told him not to be.

"Grandfather is very nice. He'll love you."

That didn't really help much, but Merlin smiled for her and she was happy. As it turns out, dinner was a pleasantly uneventful affair. Ulysses asked about Merlin's family and about his job. He wanted to know how he and Arthur had met and where he was living, but overall he was cordial and relaxed. At the end of the evening Ulysses shook his hand and told him that he was a fine young man and that he wished him all the best. After hugging both Emily and Arthur he saw them out and that was that. Merlin felt like he'd won a major battle, and Arthur laughed when he told him.

"There was a time when I would've agreed with you. My father wasn't always so personable. But ever since Emily was born he's mellowed out a lot. We get along a lot better now than we ever did when I was younger."

Merlin nodded, because he could easily see how that would be true. He was just infinitely grateful that it wasn't so true now.

/

Two weeks later Emily was spending the night at Gwen's again. As soon as he dropped her off he called Merlin.

"Come over tonight."

"_What about Emily?"_

"She's spending the night with Tommy."

"_I'll be there in twenty minutes."_

As soon as Merlin was through the door Arthur locked it and pinned him up against the wall. He kissed him with a desperation that Merlin matched and they slowly made their way to Arthur's bedroom. Once they were inside, Merlin kicked the door shut and pulled of his shirt.

"You have no idea how hard it's been to keep my hands to myself." he said.

Arthur dropped his own shirt on the floor and smirked.

"I think I do actually. I've been wanting to get my hands on you ever since I met you."

"The feeling's mutual."

Merlin backed Arthur up until he fell across the bed then he crawled over him and straddled his waist.

"My god! You look even better under your clothes." he said as he ran his hands over Arthur's chest.

"And you haven't even seen all of me yet." Arthur gasped as Merlin ran his thumb over a nipple.

"We'll fix that soon enough." he said leaning down to devour Arthur's mouth. The kiss was deep and wet and left both of them even more desperate to feel skin. Pants came off with record speed and underwear shortly followed. Merlin trailed kisses down Arthur's chest and bit at his hipbone. Arthur could only moan and run his fingers through Merlin's dark hair.

"How long has it been?" he asked as he gripped Arthur's cock.

"A disgustingly long time." he answered through clenched teeth.

"How long?" Merlin asked again as he stroked the throbbing hardness.

"God! Al…almost four years. Before Emily was born."

Merlin smirked.

"Best not keep you waiting any longer then."

He swallowed Arthur's cock and Arthur screamed. He tried to thrust up into Merlin's mouth, but Merlin had a firm hold of his hips. He pulled off and licked a lazy stripe up the underside and then swirled his tongue over the head.

"How long's it been for you?" Arthur gasped out while Merlin stroked him.

"Over a year. It was a hook-up in one of the practice rooms my junior year."

"Kinky." Arthur laughed.

Merlin shook his head.

"Awful actually. He didn't know what he was doing and didn't remember to watch his teeth when he blew me. That was all I let him do."

He swallowed Arthur again and smiled when Arthur groaned. The next time he pulled off Arthur flipped them over. He had to taste Merlin and he couldn't wait anymore.

"Shit!" Merlin cried when Arthur sucked on his head. He clenched the sheets in his fists and tried to ground himself. Arthur took his time as he licked and sucked on Merlin. He finally swallowed him down when Merlin begged for it. Arthur wasn't nearly finished when Merlin pulled him off and up for a kiss. Merlin attacked his mouth with tongue and teeth. The kiss was filthy, and Arthur couldn't get enough of it; couldn't get enough of Merlin. He pulled back and rolled so he was on his back. Merlin gave him a confused look, but then Arthur spread his legs.

"Condoms and lube are in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom." he said. Merlin raised an eyebrow in question and Arthur answered it with a nod. Merlin jumped up and practically ran to the en suite. When he came back in he had already put on the condom and was slicking his fingers with lube.

"I'm going to tell you right now, I probably won't last very long." Merlin said as he rejoined Arthur on the bed.

"That will make two of us then, but I don't care. I just want you inside me."

Merlin made quick work of preparing and stretching Arthur. The whole time Arthur begged for more. Finally, Merlin lined up his cock with Arthur's entrance and slowly began to thrust into him. When he was buried to the hilt Arthur moaned and Merlin said, "Fuck yeah!"

They built up a slow but steady rhythm, Arthur moving to meet him with every thrust. When Merlin twisted his hips and managed to hit Arthur's prostate, the dam broke. Their movements became frantic and uncoordinated. Merlin began to furiously stroke Arthur and that was his undoing. He arched up into Merlin and came harder than he had in his life. Watching was Merlin's undoing. He kept thrusting into Arthur through the aftershocks until he finally couldn't hold himself up anymore. Pulling out, he collapsed beside Arthur. They lay there panting for a few minutes and then Merlin got up to dispose of the condom and get a washcloth to clean up with. After he was done with it he threw it at Arthur who wiped at himself with shaking hands and then tossed it onto the floor. Merlin climbed back into the bed and laid his head on Arthur's chest. Arthur pulled him close and tangled their legs together.

"I would say that that was amazing, but I wouldn't want to inflate your ego." Merlin whispered.

Arthur laughed.

"You're such an idiot. Go to sleep."

Merlin didn't need to be told twice.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey guys! This chapter is pretty angsty. I didn't intend for it to be that way, but that's how it turned out. Anyway, happy reading, and feel free to review.

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is Emily.

/

A few days after their night together, Merlin played his first concert. Arthur and Emily had front row tickets to the performance. Emily sat enraptured by the music. When they were waiting for Merlin afterwards she tugged on his hand and said, "I want to learn how to do that! Do you think Merlin would show me?"

"Maybe if you asked him very nicely." Arthur told her. A few minutes later Merlin came out to meet them. Emily ran to him and he lifted her into his arms and then leaned in to give Arthur a quick kiss.

"I'm so glad you guys could come. It's a shame Gwen and Lance had to pass."

Arthur nodded.

"They wanted to be here, but Tommy's fever still hasn't broken."

Merlin frowned at the news but Emily turned his face so that he was forced to meet her gaze.

"It was very pretty. Could you teach me how to play the piano?"

Merlin laughed.

"I started playing when I was your age, so I suppose I could teach you a little bit."

Emily gave him a happy laugh and a long kiss on his cheek. The three of them made their way outside. It wasn't long before Emily was asleep in Merlin's arms. When they got back to the apartment he gave her to Arthur.

"I'll get her changed for bed and then I'll be back." he said.

When Emily was tucked into bed Arthur joined Merlin on the couch. He'd shed his tuxedo jacket and had his shirt partially unbuttoned.

"Trying to tempt me?" Arthur asked as he ran his fingers over Merlin's collarbones.

"No, but if I managed to then I wouldn't complain."

Arthur nodded and pulled him in for a long kiss. Merlin met him halfway and smiled against Arthur's lips. A few minutes later he reluctantly pulled away.

"If we're going to continue this then I think we should move it to the bedroom."

"Good point." Arthur said taking his hand and pulling him down the hallway. As soon as the door was shut behind them they picked up where they had left off.

/

"Daddy? I'm hungry. Daddy!"

Arthur woke up to small fists beating against his door. He wiped the sleep out of his eyes and then pulled himself out of bed. Merlin was still sleeping and he didn't want to wake him. He slipped on some work out shorts and brushed his teeth before slipping out of his room. Emily was standing in the hall looking indignant.

"I'm hungry." she said.

"So I heard. Let's get some breakfast then, shall we?"

He led her down the hall and she sat at the table while he busied himself pouring her some cereal and making himself a cup of coffee. When he set her bowl in front of her she looked up at him with her big blue eyes and a smile.

"Did Merlin stay over?" she asked. Arthur tried not to blush.

"Why do you ask?"

She pointed to the couch where Merlin's tuxedo jacked was still draped over the arm. Arthur looked at it for a moment and then turned back to Emily who was still smiling.

"Yes. He spent the night."

Emily nodded and continued to eat. When she was done she pushed her bowl away and looked back at her father.

"You love Merlin, don't you?"

Arthur did his best not to spit coffee across the table.

"I, um, what?"

Emily shook her head.

"It's not a hard question, Daddy. Do you love him?"

Arthur continued to look at her and tried to work out where she could have gotten her forwardness. Neither he nor his father were quite as frank as his young daughter was.

"Yes. At least, I think I do."

Emily hopped off her chair and climbed into Arthur's lap. She lightly kissed his cheek and said, "You should tell him. It would make him happy."

She then got up and went back to her room. Arthur was frozen in place. He still hadn't moved when Merlin came into the kitchen ten minutes later. Merlin had found one of Arthur's old t-shirts and another pair of work out shorts to wear. Arthur couldn't ignore the warm feeling he got from seeing the other man in his clothes.

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked as he sat down across from Arthur. Arthur just nodded and grabbed Emily's discarded bowl.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking."

Merlin snorted.

"Well, don't hurt yourself."

Arthur smacked him in the back of the head and Merlin laughed again.

/

Arthur didn't see much of Merlin over the next week. He had more concerts to play in and Arthur was swamped at work. He was working on editing three novels and could barely see straight by the time he picked Emily up every day. At the end of the week Emily asked if they could go over to Merlin's apartment.

"I want to see him." she pleaded from her place on the floor where she was coloring in the living room. Arthur sighed from the couch.

"I'd like to see him too, but we've both been busy this week and I don't know if he has plans tonight or not."

"Call and ask!" Emily whined.

"It's getting late, Emily. By the time I call him and make plans then it will be close to your bedtime and not worth the trouble."

Emily made an annoyed sound and threw her crayon across the room.

"But I miss him! Don't you?"

Arthur was at his wits' end and he snapped.

"Yes, Emily, I do. That doesn't mean that I can just call him and order him over here or invite myself to his home. He's entitled to his own life. His world doesn't revolve around the two of us and I have no right to make him feel as if it does!" he yelled. Emily stared at him for a moment and then ran away crying. Arthur heard her slam the door to her room and he deflated back into the couch cushions.

"What is wrong with me?" he whispered. He'd never yelled at her before; he'd hardly ever raised his voice at her. It had just been a long, stressful week and Merlin's absence from it certainly didn't help matters. He stood up and collected her coloring book and crayons. Slowly, he made his way down the hall to her room and knocked on her door. He got no response, but he gently opened the door anyway. Emily was sitting on her bed with her head on her knees crying. Arthur swallowed the lump in his throat and set her things on her desk.

"I'm sorry." he whispered as he sat next to her on the bed. She didn't look at him.

"I shouldn't have yelled at you, Emily. It's not your fault that I'm mad. You're right, I do miss Merlin and I want to see him, but we have to let him have some time to himself every now and then. We can't expect him to spend _all_ of his time with us."

Emily finally looked at him and wiped at her cheeks.

"Why not? We love him and he loves us, right?"

Arthur put his arm around her and pulled her close.

"I think so. I know _we_ love him, and I know that he loves _you_, but he still deserves some time to himself."

Emily snuggled into Arthur's side and he soothingly rubbed her back.

"He loves you too, Daddy. I know he does." she whispered against his shirt. Arthur smiled.

"I hope you're right. Now, if I bring you some ice cream will you promise me that you'll stop crying?"

Emily laughed and nodded.

"Good. I _really_ don't like it when you cry." he said as he dropped a kiss to the top of her head before he went to get her treat.

/

When Emily was asleep Arthur called Merlin. He smiled when Merlin picked up on the second ring.

"_Hey! I was just about to call you."_

"Yeah?"

"_Yes. I've been meaning to for days, but my schedule has been crazy."_

"Don't worry about it. I've had my own hands full."

"_Nothing's wrong, is it?"_

Arthur sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Not really. I yelled at Emily tonight because I'm an idiot and I made her cry."

"_Oh, Arthur. What happened?"_

"Nothing. She just really misses you and wanted to see you tonight, but I told her it was too late to get together. She kept insisting and I just snapped at her. I felt horrible afterwards, and I apologized and made it up to her, but still. It shouldn't have happened. It's just been a really stressful week."

"_I know what you mean, and I miss her too. I miss _both_ of you. I'm free tomorrow if you want to come over. We could have lunch and then I could finally give Emily that piano lesson she wanted."_

"That would be great. We'll be there around 11, if that's alright?"

"_Sounds great! I'll see you both tomorrow."_

"See you tomorrow. Goodnight, Merlin."

"_Goodnight, Arthur. Sweet dreams."_

Arthur fell asleep with a smile on his face.

/

Over the next month Arthur and Merlin made sure that they saw each other at least twice a week. Emily got one piano lesson a week from Merlin and she seemed to be picking it up.

"She kind of reminds me of myself." Merlin said to Arthur after one of her lessons.

Gwen and Lance would keep Emily over sometimes so that the two men could have a night to themselves. They didn't always have sex, sometimes they would just enjoy the uninterrupted time together, but having sex was one of their favorite activities. Arthur was very strict that it was to be contained to his bedroom and bathroom only though.

"With my luck Emily would notice a stain or something and then I'd never be able to look her in the eyes again!" Arthur explained through his moans as Merlin sucked him off in the shower one night. Merlin didn't reply; he just took Arthur in deeper.

/

On one of the last days of summer Arthur and Merlin took Emily to the zoo in Central Park. While Emily was looking at the penguins Arthur and Merlin argued over where to go for lunch. When they settled that, Emily asked if she could get a stuffed lion. Arthur said no at the same time that Merlin said yes.

"She's got enough stuffed animals. She doesn't need another one." Arthur said quietly.

"What's one more?" Merlin asked.

"I'm her father and I said no."

Merlin scoffed.

"Oh, so you're going to pull that card, are you?"

Arthur threw his hands in the air.

"It's not a card, it's the truth!" he said loudly. Other parents and kids were starting to look over at them. Emily tugged on Arthur's pant leg trying to get his attention, but he ignored her.

"We shouldn't do this here." Merlin said in a harsh, low tone.

Arthur looked around them and noticed that they were drawing a crowd. That's also when he noticed Emily tugging at him insistently.

"Don't fight." she pleaded.

Arthur ran his fingers through her hair and nodded. She took his hand and pulled him from the gift shop with Merlin trailing after them. They barely said two words to each other for the rest of the day, but both pretended that nothing was wrong for Emily's sake. At the end of the day Merlin left after hugging Emily and telling her that he would see her in two days for her lesson. He didn't spare Arthur a second look.

/

Saturday found Arthur at his father's house. Emily was playing upstairs while he and Ulysses had drinks in the living room.

"I don't know what's going on lately. We never used to fight, but now it's like that's all we do." Arthur said as he took a sip of his scotch.

"It seems to me like you're experiencing the end of the honeymoon stage."

Arthur gave his father a confused look.

"What?"

Ulysses took a sip of his own drink and then replied, "The honeymoon stage comes at the beginning of every relationship. It's the first few months when everything seems perfect."

"And you're saying that this _honeymoon stage_ has ended for Merlin and I?"

Ulysses nodded.

"If you're fighting all the time, then yes. How long has it been now that you two have been together?"

"It was four months two days ago."

Arthur shook his head.

"I don't know what to do. I don't want to fight with him, it just happens. I feel awful afterwards, but at the time I just can't seem to stop. And we fight over the silliest things. We actually had a fight about spoons. _Spoons!_"

Ulysses laughed.

"That is rather ridiculous."

"This isn't funny! I feel like I'm losing him and it hurts. I don't want to lose him."

Ulysses placed his hand on his son's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made fun of your situation. It's just, it reminds me of your mother and I."

Arthur looked up so fast he thought he heard his neck crack.

"Really?"

Ulysses nodded.

"Yes. Your mother and I dated for a similar length of time before our honeymoon stage ended. After that, we fought constantly, and about silly little things too. There was one point when I got so annoyed with her that I actually considered ending things between us."

Arthur's eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Yes. I thought that there was no way that I could tolerate her one more minute and I had every intention of leaving her. Then, she came to me and she told me that she'd never met someone who infuriated her so much. She went on to say that I was the most stubborn man she'd ever encountered and that she was probably the most idiotic woman in the world because she just couldn't make herself stop loving me. It was when she said that that I knew I could never leave her. We may have fought, but it was never malicious or cruel, it was just silly disagreements. At the end of the day I loved her more than anyone and I couldn't bear the thought of not having her in my life."

Arthur sat in silence for a minute so that he could take in what his father had said. Finally, he asked, "So what should I do?"

"You tell him the truth about how you feel and then you go from there. Trying to keep your mouth shut to keep from fighting helps too. That was a lesson that took me far too long to learn."

Arthur laughed and took another sip of his drink. His father made a good point.

/

In the end, it didn't matter that Ulysses had made a good point; Arthur still managed to ruin everything. Merlin had come over for dinner with Arthur and Emily and the evening looked like it was going well. They got through dinner without even the hint of an argument and even made it through dessert and a movie. When Arthur came back from putting Emily to bed is when everything went to Hell.

"I'm sorry that she was clinging to you all night." Arthur said as he sat beside Merlin on the couch.

"I don't mind."

Arthur shook his head.

"I know, but she was really clingy tonight. It's just because she hasn't seen you in a few days."

Merlin scoffed.

"And whose fault is that? I called to invite you both over three days ago but you said you were too tired from work."

Arthur shook his head.

"I was tired! I'd proofread and edited over two hundred pages that day and all I wanted to do was close my eyes."

"Well that's fine, but you could have done that at my place, or are you not comfortable enough to relax in my presence?"

Arthur turned toward Merlin and said, "You know that's not true."

Merlin spread his arms out and looked around.

"Do I? Every time you're over at my place you always seem a little on edge. Why is that? Because it's not home or is it something else?"

"What are you talking about?" Arthur said finally raising his voice.

"I'm talking about how lately it seems like every time we're together we fight. We never used to fight! What's going on? Do you not like me anymore, is that it? Are you tired of me?"

Arthur stood up and began to pace.

"Of course not! How could you even think that?"

Merlin stood up too and put himself in Arthur's path.

"Because we argue and bicker and hardly ever have a nice thing to say to each other anymore. That's not how people act when they're in a happy relationship. The only thing I _can_ think is that you don't want to be in this relationship anymore."

Arthur poked Merlin in the chest and said, "Maybe it's _you_ that doesn't want to be in this relationship anymore. It's you that's brought this all up after all."

Merlin let out a mirthless laugh.

"Oh that's rich! You're going to blame this on me? Really?"

"You started this fight!" Arthur yelled.

"This one, fine. But the others? I think you've started your fair share of our fights, Arthur!" Merlin yelled back.

"Fine! At least I'm not the one talking about leaving!"

"I didn't say anything about leaving!"

Arthur ran both hands over his face but he couldn't make himself calm down.

"Then what _are_ you saying, Merlin? What do you want from me? Do you want me to tell you that I'm sorry and that I'll never argue with you again? Well, news flash, I can't say that!"

Merlin shook his head and looked out the window.

"No, Arthur. All I wanted was to know that you cared about me like I care about you, but obviously, that was asking too much."

He grabbed his coat and began to put his shoes on.

"Merlin, where are you going?" Arthur demanded.

Merlin finished putting his shoes on and then said, "I'm leaving. I'm not going to stay when it seems like I'm just wasting my time here. Tell Emily I'm sorry."

He opened the door and Arthur ran forward. He caught it before it could close and yelled down the hallway, "So that's it, then? You're leaving? Fine! Leave!"

Merlin stopped before he got to the stairs and looked back at Arthur. He ignored the tears falling down his cheeks and simply said, "Goodbye, Arthur."

He took off down the stairs and all Arthur could do was listen as his footsteps faded away. When all was silent he slammed his door shut and collapsed against it. Before he could even attempt to stop himself, he began to cry. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, but eventually he felt Emily's hand on his head.

"Daddy? Why are you crying?" she asked.

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She hugged him back and began stroking his hair.

"Daddy?" she asked again.

"Merlin's gone, Emily. He's gone and he's not coming back." he told her.

Emily wiggled out of his grasp and asked, "Why not?"

"I said some things that I shouldn't have. We had a fight and he left."

She tugged on his hand and tried to get him to move.

"Then call him and say you're sorry! Tell him to come back!"

Arthur shook his head.

"It's not that simple, Emily."

"Yes it is! You can't just let him leave, Daddy!"

"I already did. There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry."

"No! You have to make him come back! You _have_ to!"

Arthur stood up and began walking down the hall.

"I can't. It's over."

He walked into his room and locked the door. Emily ran for the phone and dialed Merlin's number. He didn't answer, so she tried again. It took five times before he answered.

"_I don't want to talk to you, Arthur!"_ he yelled into the phone and Emily could tell that he was crying.

"It's not Daddy." Emily said.

"_Emily? What are you doing up?"_

"Daddy was crying and woke me up. Why did you leave?"

"_It's complicated, Emily. I just couldn't stay anymore."_

"Are you ever coming back?"

"_I don't think so, sweetie. I'm sorry."_

"You can't stay gone forever! My daddy loves you! He's sorry for what he said, please come back!"

"_I don't think your daddy loves me, Emily."_

"He does! He was crying because you left and he's still crying. Daddy _never_ cries! Please, you have to come back!"

"_I can't, Emily, I just can't."_

Emily was now crying too.

"What about me? I love you too! Don't you love me?"

"_Of course I do! I love you so much, Emily."_

"Then come back! Please, Dad!"

There was silence on the other end of the line for a while and all Emily could hear was ragged breathing and a few choked sobs.

"_I'm not your dad."_

"Yes you are! You love me and take care of me just like a dad does."

"_You already have a dad, and he's a great dad."_

"I know that, but that doesn't mean I can't have another one. I want you to be my dad too! I'll never be happy again if you don't come back, and neither will Daddy!"

"_Emily, I…"_

"Give him another chance, Dad. Just one more chance, please! You still love him, don't you?"

"_More than you'll ever know."_

"Then give Daddy another chance. I know he loves you just as much as you love him. Just one more chance."

"_Alright. I'll give him one more chance, but that doesn't mean I'm coming back tonight. I'll try and call him tomorrow. Now, you should go to bed."_

"Okay. Goodnight, Dad. I love you."

"_I love you too, Emily."_

She hung up the phone and then went and sat outside her father's bedroom door. She could still hear him crying, even though he was trying to be quiet. She leaned back against the door and closed her eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Well, this is it. We've come to the last chapter. I'd like to thank everyone who read this story. You guys are the reason I write. I'd also like to give a special thanks to all of you who reviewed. It means a lot to me to hear what you think. Now, without further ado, please enjoy the last chapter!

Disclaimer: I only own Emily.

/

Arthur didn't know what time it was when he woke up. He'd fallen asleep leaning against the wall in his room. With a quick glance at the clock he saw that it was nearly three in the morning. When he opened his door Emily fell back against his legs. She was asleep and he bent down to pick her up.

"Neither of us should be sleeping on the floor." he whispered as he kissed her forehead. She snuggled against his chest but still didn't wake. Arthur carried her into her room and put her back in bed. He gently shut her door and then made his way to the kitchen. After pouring himself a glass of scotch he collapsed onto the couch and turned on the TV. It wasn't like he was going to get anymore sleep tonight.

/

The second time Arthur woke up it was to the phone ringing.

"Guess I fell asleep after all." he murmured as he reached for it.

"'Lo?"

"_Arthur?"_

"Merlin!" Arthur shot off the couch. He was awake now.

"_Look, I've been doing some thinking and I think we should talk. We owe Emily and ourselves that much."_

"Yeah. Yeah, we should talk. When?"

"_I'm free all day, so just come by sometime."_

"I will. I'll drop Emily with my father and then I'll head over."

"_Fine."_

The line went dead before Arthur could say anything else. He put the phone back on its dock and then ran to grab a quick shower. Once he was ready he went in to wake up Emily. He shook her shoulder and after a moment she blinked up at him.

"Time to wake up. You're going to stay with Grandfather today."

"Why?" she asked as she crawled out of bed.

"Because I'm going over to Merlin's so that we can talk."

Emily smiled and ran to brush her teeth while Arthur set out some clothes for her. Fifteen minutes later they were on their way. When they reached Arthur's childhood home he rang the bell.

"It's rather early." Ulysses said when he opened the door.

"I know, and I know this is last minute, but I need you to watch Emily for me today. I've got something to take care of."

Ulysses bent down to pick up his granddaughter and raised his eyebrow at his son.

"He's going to talk to Merlin." Emily told him.

"Did something happen?"

Arthur nodded.

"I was an idiot and we had a huge fight and he ended things between us, but he called this morning and asked me to come and talk to him so I'm going. Hopefully I can make this right."

Ulysses squeezed Arthur's shoulder.

"Good luck."

"Thanks."

He leant in to place a kiss on Emily's cheek and then he was gone.

/

Merlin buzzed him up as soon as he rang his apartment. When he got to the door Merlin was leaning against the frame with his arms crossed and his eyes downcast.

"I need you to promise me something before you come in." he said.

"Anything."

Merlin met his gaze and Arthur could see that his eyes were red and swollen. He looked like he'd been crying all night.

"Promise me that you won't yell and I'll promise you the same."

"I won't, I promise."

Merlin nodded and then walked into the apartment. Arthur followed him and took a seat.

"To be honest, I was really surprised when you called this morning. I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

Merlin sat next to him but still maintained some distance between them.

"I wasn't going to call you and I didn't want to see you, but two very important people convinced me otherwise."

"Really?"

Merlin nodded.

"These last two weeks have been hell, Arthur. All we've done is fight and I felt like what we had was slipping away. I thought, maybe it was never real in the first place, and that hurt. What I felt, what I _feel_ is real, but I was starting to wonder if you felt the same. I honestly didn't think you cared for me at all. I called my mom and told her everything that's been happening. She told me that we needed to talk to each other because she believes that we belong together. Then Emily called me and told me how upset you were; she begged me to give you a second chance, and I couldn't deny that I wanted to. I want to be with you, Arthur. I want that more than anything because I love you, but I can't stay with you if you don't feel the same. It's not fair."

Arthur sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Finally, he said, "There are some things that I am terrible at. Talking about my feelings and knowing what to say to someone I care about is one of them, but Merlin, you have to know that I love you. You drive me crazy and you're an idiot most of the time and you can make me so mad I want to hit something, but I love you. I love you so much that when you left last night I didn't know what to do. I _cried_, Merlin, like a baby. Do you know how long it's been since I've cried? Years, Merlin, it's been years. I don't want to be without you. I don't think I know how to be without you anymore."

They were both silent for a few minutes. Merlin was thinking over everything that Arthur said, and Arthur was praying that Merlin would forgive him. When Merlin still hadn't said anything five minutes later he said, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything. I don't know why we started fighting, but the why isn't important. What's important is that it was stupid. I'll do my absolute best from now on not to fight with you. If we have a disagreement then we'll talk it out and come to a decision together. As for making you feel like I didn't care about you, I'll never be able to apologize enough for that. I swear to you that what we had was real, that it's still real, or at least I want it to be. I never want you to have to question my feelings for you again. I'll tell you every day how special you are and how much you mean to me if that's what it takes. I'll…"

"Arthur, shut up." Merlin said as he placed a hand on his arm. Arthur closed his mouth and took Merlin's hand so that he could lace their fingers together.

"I accept your apology, and I offer one of my own. I'm sorry for the hand I had in our fights. I know that it wasn't just you; I started my fair share of them. People fight, it's kind of inevitable, especially when one of them is a prat and the other is an idiot."

Arthur chuckled.

"But, I do like your idea about talking instead of fighting. I think that will work much better than us just yelling over one another. And, I don't need you to tell me you love me every day. I just need to feel like you do, and actually saying the words once in a while wouldn't be so bad."

"I can do that. So, does this mean it's not over?" Arthur asked.

Merlin nodded and Arthur pulled him in for a kiss. He tried to pull Merlin into his lap, but Merlin wouldn't let him.

"What's the matter?" Arthur asked against his lips.

"I think it would be a good idea to take things a little slower from now on. We kind of rushed into everything before, and I think that may have had something to do with all our fights."

Arthur sighed. He didn't really want to go slow, but he would if that's what Merlin wanted.

"Alright. We'll take things slow."

He pressed a chaste kiss to Merlin's lips and then drew back. They spent the rest of the day just enjoying each other's company and being close.

/

Emily was, needless to say, thrilled to hear that Arthur and Merlin had worked things out. That was no surprise to anyone. The surprise came when Ulysses took his son to the side and gave him a smile.

"I'm happy for you."

Arthur's eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Of course. I could tell that this young man was very important to you. I don't think I've ever seen you so happy. I'm proud that you didn't let him go."

"You're proud of me? I always thought I was a bit of a disappointment to you."

Ulysses shook his head and placed his hand on the back of Arthur's neck and drew him close.

"Then that is my fault. You are my son, precious to me, and I am more proud of you than you could ever know."

Arthur allowed himself to be drawn into a hug. He could count on one hand the number of times his father had hugged him, and he wasn't going to pass up an opportunity.

"Thanks." he said when he stepped away. His father just nodded and walked away.

Merlin's mother was similarly pleased to hear the good news. She told Merlin to hang on to Arthur with both hands because they obviously needed each other. Gwen and Lance, who hadn't even known there _was_ a problem, were just glad that there was _no longer_ a problem.

"It's good to hear that you two got everything sorted out. It would have been a nightmare if you didn't. What with Merlin being Gwen's best friend and you being mine, the awkwardness would have been unbearable." Lance said.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm your best friend?"

"Of course you are. How did you not know that?"

Arthur smiled.

"I don't know, but I feel the same about you."

Lance nodded.

"Well, now that we've established that we're best friends, let's go get some beers before we turn into women."

Arthur laughed and followed him into the kitchen.

Things weren't the same between Arthur and Merlin, but they were better. They did take things slower and took more time to really get to know each other. Arthur was surprised how much he didn't know about Merlin even having been with him for months. It was nice to uncover all the things he'd been missing. Three weeks after their reconciliation they were on the edge of having another fight, but Arthur took a step back and so did Merlin. They gave each other time to cool off and then they came back together to talk about it without yelling. After they'd worked it out they both had to agree that this way of doing things was infinitely better than their old way.

The months passed in a happy blur. Merlin spent as much time with Arthur and Emily as possible, and they'd started having family nights with Gwen, Lance, and Tommy once a week. Things were getting pretty domestic, especially with Emily refusing to call Merlin anything other than "Dad." On her fourth birthday, Arthur decided that if she was going to call him that then they might as well make it official.

"How would you feel about Merlin adopting you?" he asked Emily after her party was over. Merlin was helping Gwen clean up while Lance and Ulysses were waiting with the kids for their parents to arrive.

"What would that mean?" she asked.

"It would mean that he'd be your dad for real."

She smiled and threw her arms around his neck.

"I'd love it!"

"Would you also love it if he and I got married?"

She nodded and squeezed him tighter. He hugged her back and then watched her run to her friends as he made his way over to Merlin.

"So, I have a question for you." he said after he'd pulled him away.

"Okay, shoot."

Arthur took his hand and Merlin automatically laced their fingers.

"I was wondering how you'd feel about really becoming Emily's dad."

Merlin gave him a confused look.

"What do you mean?"

Arthur shrugged.

"She thinks of you as her second dad, it's how she introduces you to people, and I can't say I object to the idea, so I was wondering if you'd like to go ahead and make it official by adopting her."

Merlin's mouth dropped open and he stared at Arthur for a minute.

"Are you serious? You want me to adopt her?"

Arthur nodded.

"You might as well. And if you do then it only makes sense for you to move in with us. And if you're going to move in then we should probably get married."

Merlin took a step back as Arthur got down on one knee and pulled a silver band from his pocket.

"I called your mother this morning to ask her for permission, and after she stopped screaming and laughing she gave me her blessing. So, Colin James Emrys, Merlin, will you marry me?"

Merlin started to laugh, but he nodded.

"Of course I will, prat. Now get up before you get your pants dirty!"

Arthur stood and slipped the ring onto Merlin's finger. It was a perfect fit. When he kissed Merlin he became vaguely aware of applause all around them. When he pulled away and looked over Merlin's shoulder he could see that everyone around them in the park was clapping and Gwen was crying. His father gave him a smile and a nod and Emily was jumping up and down in excitement.

/

The ceremony was small and took place in a quaint church in Massachusetts. After they got back to New York Arthur and Merlin met with a lawyer to finalize the adoption making Merlin Emily's legal parent. Once that was done Emily went to her grandfather's and Merlin and Arthur went on a honeymoon to the Mediterranean.

"So, Mr. Penn, how does it feel to be a married man?" Arthur asked as they lied in the sand together. Merlin looked over at him and smiled.

"It feels pretty good. Although, I still can't believe you convinced me to change my name."

"It's what people do when they get married." Arthur stated and Merlin scoffed.

"You could have changed your name to Emrys."

"Then I would have had to change Emily's name too, and that was more complicated than just changing yours. Is it so wrong of me to want our last names to all be the same?"

Merlin reached over kissed his hand.

"No. It's sweet. Although, since it was my name that we changed people are going to think that I'm the girl in this relationship, and that's just not true."

Arthur huffed.

"I do believe that that comment was rather lewd. Besides, you spend some time on the bottom, so there's really no basis for your argument."

Merlin smiled and leaned over so that he could whisper in Arthur's ear.

"Maybe, but it's still true that you like having me inside you more than you like being inside me."

Arthur blushed but he didn't deny Merlin's words, which just made Merlin laugh.

/

The next several years were punctuated with major changes in Emily's life. Of course, both Merlin and Arthur went through their own changes like Arthur steadily working his way up the ladder in his family's company to become Vice President and Merlin being offered a teaching job at Juilliard, which he gladly took. But most everything was about Emily. On her first day of school she was proudly holding both Merlin and Arthur's hands. When she was seven she had her appendix removed, which was a source of stress and relief that she was going to be okay for both men. Middle school and the start of her teenage years were a cause for rebellion in the form of dying her blonde hair blue. Arthur yelled at her for almost an hour, but Merlin thought it really made her eyes pop. When he voiced his opinion Emily laughed and kissed his cheek and Arthur just glared and told him he wasn't helping. It wasn't until Emily was sixteen that Arthur really thought he was going to lose his mind.

"What do you mean you want to go out with this boy?"

Emily rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Daddy, you know what I mean. He asked me out on a date and I want to go."

Arthur shook his head.

"No. No way. You're too young to date."

"Daddy, I'm sixteen! All my friends have boyfriends already. I just want to go on a date with him. I really like him, and he likes me. Please?"

"What's his name?"

"Derek Jones. He's in my math class and he's really smart, not to mention cute, and he asked me to go to the movies with him this Saturday."

Arthur still didn't look convinced, but Merlin stepped in.

"You can go if he comes to pick you up and we get to meet him. But, you still have to be home by nine."

Emily smiled and hugged him.

"Thanks, Dad! You'll love him, he's very nice."

She ran away to her room to no doubt call her friends. Arthur looked at Merlin and shook his head.

"She's growing up, Arthur. You can't fight it. She just wants to start dating, it's not like she's having sex, doing drugs, or drinking."

Arthur groaned and ran a hand over his face.

"Don't say things like that! It just makes me want to lock her away so that she can't ever be hurt."

Merlin smiled and pulled him into a hug.

"We have no reason to worry. She's a smart girl."

Derek was a nice boy, but he didn't last long. Three weeks into their relationship Emily was over him and had set her sights on a new boy. His name was Zach and he was a senior. When Merlin and Arthur met him he seemed very nice, but he left a bad taste in Merlin's mouth. Emily had been dating him for just over a month when Merlin caught them in a compromising position. He'd come home after his classes and heard noises coming from Emily's room. When he walked in he saw Zach on top of her and neither of them were wearing anything but their underwear.

"What the hell is going on here?" he yelled. Emily froze but Zach just gave him an annoyed look.

"I think you can figure it out, Pops. Why don't you shut the door now, yeah?"

Emily looked up at him like he'd grown another head and Merlin clenched his fists together.

"Why don't you get out of my house? Now."

Zach sighed and moved off of Emily so that he could stand in front of Merlin.

"I don't see what the big deal is. There's no reason to get mad."

Merlin gave a mirthless laugh.

"Right. Finding my _sixteen-year-old_ daughter in bed with her _eighteen-year-old_ boyfriend isn't reason to get mad. Just be glad it was me that found you, otherwise you'd already be on the street and probably sporting a black eye or split lip. Now, get out."

Zach looked back at Emily and she nodded toward the door.

"This is bullshit!" he yelled as he grabbed his clothes and straightened himself out. He pushed past Merlin and slammed the front door on his way out. Emily just looked down and twisted the sheets between her hands. Merlin sighed and stepped into her room.

"Dad, I…"

"Emily, I _really_ don't want to hear it. I just want to know what you were thinking."

She looked up at him and then back down at the sheets. Merlin took a seat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I don't know. I've never done anything like this, but Zach said that it would be fun. He said that it would make him love me more, and I just, I don't know."

Merlin took a deep breath and tried to remain calm.

"Sex is a big deal, Emily, especially the first time. It can be a great experience, or it can be a really damaging one. You have to be sure about it. If not then you'll regret it, and trust me, that's not something you want. Your first time should be with someone you really love and trust, and if that boy told you that he wouldn't love you if you didn't sleep with him, then he's obviously not the guy for you. The guy who really loves you will _never_ push you to do anything you're not absolutely ready for and won't mind waiting for you."

Emily leaned into him and said, "I'm not ready. I know that, I just didn't want Zach to leave me."

Merlin kissed the top of her head.

"As far as I'm concerned, he can drop off the face of the planet. I don't want you to be with him if that's how he's going to act and treat you."

"Yeah. I don't think I want to be with him anymore either. Thanks, Dad."

Merlin pulled her closer.

"You're welcome. Just, when you do have sex, which I hope won't be for a _very_ long time, be sure that you're safe. Always make sure you use a condom. I know you're on birth control because of how terrible your periods were, but you still need to make sure to use a condom every time."

Emily pulled away and made a disgusted face.

"I don't think I _ever_ want to hear you say that again."

"Well, just do what I told you and I won't have to say it again."

Emily nodded.

"Okay. Dad, do you think we could keep this between us? Daddy would go crazy if he found out."

Merlin laughed.

"Yes, I think it's best that we do. We don't need your father to go to jail for killing some poor kid."

Emily nodded and gave him another hug. By the time Arthur got home she was dressed and watching a movie with Merlin. He was none the wiser.

/

When Emily graduated from high school it was with full honors and an acceptance to Yale. Arthur couldn't have been more proud. When she left for Connecticut it was with tears in her eyes.

"Promise you'll call at least once a week. If you don't I'll have to come over there and find you to make sure that you're all right." Arthur said as he hugged her tight.

"I promise, Daddy."

She stepped away and threw her arms around Merlin. He held her close and kissed her forehead.

"Have fun, but make sure to keep up with your school work."

"I will, Dad."

She reached for Arthur and she took both his and Merlin's hand in hers.

"You guys are the best parents anyone could have ever asked for. I'm going to miss you both very much."

She started to cry and Merlin joined her, but Arthur fought back his tears. They came together for a group hug and then she walked away to get on the plane. When she was out of sight Merlin took Arthur's hand and led him towards the exit. When they got home Merlin started dinner while Arthur went to sit in Emily's mostly empty room. When Merlin came to get him a half hour later it was to find Arthur sitting in the rocking chair holding a picture of their little girl.

"She's all grown up now." he said.

"Yep. I'd say we did a pretty good job."

Arthur laughed.

"Yeah. I guess we did."

/

The apartment was quiet ever since Emily moved out, but Merlin and Arthur filled the silence with lots of loud sex.

"I had no idea we were holding back so much." Arthur panted after their latest go.

Merlin laughed.

"Me either. I guess it's a good thing we did, otherwise Emily would have been scarred for life."

Arthur laughed until he was near tears.

"She probably would have!" he finally managed to say. When he calmed down he ran his fingers down Merlin's chest and grinned.

"You can't be serious! Again?"

Arthur arched an eyebrow.

"If you're too tired then I can take the lead this time."

Merlin sighed like it was going to be a great imposition, but then he smirked and pulled Arthur on top of him.

"We might as well milk it for all it's worth. When Emily comes home for Christmas we'll wish we had so many opportunities."

Arthur kissed him and ground his hips down against Merlin's.

"Very true, and I'm not one to pass up an opportunity."


End file.
